Lanthanum promoted Zr–Co/γ-Al2O3 catalysts, with La loading from 0 to 1.5 wt%, were prepared by the incipient wetness method for Fischer–Tropsch. The impact of La content on the performance of the catalysts was studied by N2 physisorption, XRD, H2-TPR, H2-TPD, CO-TPD and XPS techniques. It is found that the addition of La can affect the interaction between cobalt and support, enhance the cobalt reducibility and increase cobalt active sites, improving catalysts activity and selectivity to heavy hydrocarbons and restraining methane and CO2 selectivity. Comparing with other catalysts, a higher activity with a 91.97% CO conversion and 85.23% $$\text{C}_5^+$$ C5+ selectivity at 220 °C, 2 MPa, and a WHSV of 1000 mL g−1 h−1 was achieved by the 0.6La–Zr–Co catalyst.
Graphical Abstract